Laundry machine and method



Dec. 19,1967

Original Filed Sept. 10,

4 Sheecs$heet 1 INVENTOR. EOBETE G M/DO? 0 V. n B x O 6 a 2 I 3 H 3 Z 3 II... m 2 m M F 6 mm m H J. O u c u b a 8 m a m v G w 6 5 3 m 0 3 m 8 5 M s m a e T L e a 4 6 a a Dec. 19, 1967 R. R. CANDOR 3,358,302

LAUNDRY MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Sept. 10, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet V INVENTOR. 6/12 FIE. 5 2055/27 E. ammo/3 Dec. 19, 1967 R. R. CANDOR ,3 3

LAUNDRY MACHINE AND METHOD Original Filed Sept. 10. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. @055675 (44/001? Dec. 19, 1967 R. R. CANDOR LAUNDRY MACHINE AND METHOD 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Sept. 10. 1959 INVENTOR. POEEPTP. (411/005 United States Patent OfiYice 3,358,302 LAUNDRY MACHINE AND METHOD Robert R. Candor, Miami Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Township, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application Sept. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 311,608, now Patent No. 3,231,999, Feb. 1, 1966, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 839,232, Sept. 19, 1959. Divided and this application Sept. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 488,647

31 Claims. (Cl. 8--159) This application is a division of my copending application, S.N. 311,608, filed Sept. 18, 1963, now Patent No. 3,231,909, which is a continuation of my copending ap plication, S.N. 839,232, filed Sept. 10, 1959, now abandoned, and which is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, S.N. 598,348, filed July 17, 1956, for Washing Machine and now abandoned.

This invention relates to an improved, sanitary, efficient, slow speed and inexpensive method and apparatus for extracting moisture from wet laundry and the like which is particularly adaptable for use, if desired, in a complete washing, wringing and drying laundry machine.

Heretofore attempts have been made to wring wet laundry by the use of a flexible diaphragm in combination with a vacuum producing means in which the squeezing action of the diaphragm was the main wringing action. In order for these prior known wringing devices to be effective, a very high vacuum had to be utilized to produce any substantial pressure on the wet laundry by the diaphragm. This caused the vacuum pumps to wear out quickly. These prior devices could not be used as evaporative driers to remove the remaining moisture from the clothes.

In another proposed type of a washing, rying or combination washing and drying machine, the wet clothes were brought into contact with an absorbent belt or blanket in which the clothes were washed and/or dried. The water absorbed by the blanket was subsequently removed by squeezing the blanket or by suction action on the blanket. Such a blanket had to be alternately used for delicate fabrics, greasy clothes, diapers and the like.

This created a very unsanitary blanket condition as well as being very ineflicient because of the indirect method of water removal.

Other washing and drying machines have a drum rotated at iow speeds to produce agitation during the washing and rinsing cycles and rotated at a high speed for centrifugal extraction of the water from the Wet clothes. Subsequently the drum is rotated at a low speed for evaporative drying. This requires a relatively expensive motor drive, and complicated counterbalancing equipment. Also a relatively large cabinet is required to accommodate the rocking movement of the drum when rotating at high smed extractions.

According to this invention, a laundry machine is provided in which a drum is rotated only at low speeds and does not utilize any unsanitary blanket or inefi icient flexible pressure diaphragms for extracting moisture from wet laundry or the like.

More specifically this invention provides a slow movement of a foraminous drum or carriage to produce a tumbled accumulation of wet laundry upon which a freely acting vacuum or suction action is produced to cause the wet clothes to compact themselves and produce a squeezing action to extract moisture from the wet clothes. In addition a relatively high volume of air is subsequently swept through the accumulation of wet clothes to sweep moisture therefrom and to produce a certain amount of evaporative removal of moisture from the clothes. The foregoing can be used by itself or in combination with a washing machine and/ or a drying machine.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide 3,358,392 Patented Dec. 19 1967 an improved means and an improved method for extracting moisture from wet laundry or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved means and an improved method for extracting moisture from wet laundry or the like by effecting a low pressure zone adjacent the wet laundry to cause at least part of the moisture to be extracted from the laundry or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine having the improved means and/or utilizing the improved method as set forth in the two preceding objects of this invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a laundry machine in which a suction producing nozzle and an accumulation of wet clothes are relatively moved to extract moisture from the wet clothes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Washing machine in which clothes are agitated in a foraminous drum or carriage submerged in a body of water, and in which the body of water is subsequently removed and an accumulation of wet clothes is produced in said drum or carriage, and in which a low pressure zone is created adjacent said accumulation of wet clothes to extract moisture from said wet clothes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a washing machine in which clothes are agitated in a foraminous drum or carriage submerged in a body of water, and in which the body of water is removed and an accumulation of wet clothes is produced in said drum or carriage, and in which a suction nozzle is located adjacent said accumulation of wet clothes, and in which said drum or carriage and said nozzle are relatively movable toward each other to extract moisture from said wet clothes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of washing clothes or the like in which the clothes are subjected to a tumbling washing action in a body of water for washing purposes, and to a water extraction action by producing an accumulation of wet clothes and by creating a low pressure zone adjacent the accumulation of wet clothes and thus extracting moisture from said wet clothes by the effect of said low pressure zone.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of washing clothes or the like in which the clothes are subjected to a tumbling washing action in a body of Water for washing purposes, and to a water extracting action by producing an accumulation of wet clothes and by relatively moving a suction nozzle and said accumulation of wet clothes toward each other and extracting moisture by the suction action of said nozzle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method according to the two foregoing objects, in which heat is applied to the clothes to vaporize moisture from them.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of removing water from an accumulation of wet clothes by rotating said wet clothes in a forarninous drum or carriage through a low pressure zone to extract moisture from said wet clothes by the effect of said low pressure zone.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of removing water from an accumulation of wet clothes produced by slowly rotating a drum or carriage, by relatively moving a suction nozzle and said accumulation toward each other and by extracting moisture from the wet clothes by the suction of said nozzle.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of removing water from an accumulation of wet clothes produced by a slowly rotating foraminous drum or carriage, which comprises relatively moving a vacuum nozzle and said drum or carriage relatively to each other and creating a sub-atmospheric pressure in said nozzle to cause flow of water from and a large volume of air through said accumulation of clothes into said nozzle.

Another object is to provide one or more cycles in which the drum or carriage is stopped temporarily one or more times during the time when the suction nozzle is adjacent to the drum or carriage to produce a new accumulation of clothes after which the suction action is repeated.

Another object of this invention is to cause a relatively large volume of air to move by suction through accumulated wet laundry in suflicient quantity to cause the laundry to be acted upon by said large volume of air flowing through said laundry to extract moisture therefrom.

Further objects will be apparent from the drawings and description which follows.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic vertical cross-sectional view of the combined washer dryer.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical cross section through the drum wall and nozzle.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, of a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is an example of a wiring diagram for controlling operation of the combined washer dryer shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4.

FIGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 showing another embodiment.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic vertical view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross section of a portion of another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURES 9 and 10 are views similar to FIGURE 8 and show further embodiments of the invention.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic vertical view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic modification of the embodiment of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a view similar to FIGURE 11 and showing another embodiment.

FIGURE 14 is an enlargement of part of FIGURE 13.

FIGURE 15 is a modification of FIGURES 13 and 14.

FIGURE 16 is a modification of FIGURE 4.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2, 3, and 5, the combined clothes washer and dryer comprises an outer substantially stationary or non-rotatable tub 10 and a movable or rotatable foraminous drum or carriage 11 in said tub 10. The foraminous drum 11 may be a perforated metallic drum, as indicated in FIGURES 3 and 4.

Means are provided for introducing into and removing clothes out of said drum. For example, the drum 11 is provided with a clothes inserting and removing opening 12 in alignment with a similar opening 13 in the tub 10. These openings are formed by telescoping flanges 14 and 15 respectively in the side walls 16 and 17 of the drum [1 'and tub 10. A door 18 is suitably hinged to open, close and water seal the openings 12 and 13. If it is desired to provide a protective or ornamental cabinet 20 outside the drum 10, the front wall 21 of the cabinet maybe provided with an aligned opening 22 connected with a fixed or flexible collar 23 joining the rims of the openings 13 and 22 to form a water seal so that water splashing out through the aligned openings is returned into the tub 10. The door 18 may be hinged to the wall 21 if a cabinet 20 is provided, or to the wall 17, if no such cabinet is used.

The door 18 may be provided with a latch 24 and handle 25 for securing the door in sealed and closed position.

nozzle 30 is carried by a flexible impervious wall 31 forming a part of the outer wall of the tub 10. The wall 31 may be made of rubber, or rubber like material, and

may be secured in a water tight mannerv at 32 to the more rigid or metallic wall 33 which forms the major portion of the tub 10. The nozzle 30 has its inlet 34 inside the tub 10 and its outlet 35 outside the tub.

Means are provided for moving the nozzle inlet 34 toward and away from the foraminous drum 11. Such means may take the form of a yoke 36 secured at its upper end 37 to the nozzle 30 and connected at its lower end 38 to the armature 39 of the solenoid 40. The upper end of the yoke 36 is also provided with pins 41 guided in vertical fixed slots 42 in stationary base pillars 43. The pins 41 and fixed slots 42 prevent the nozzle from being moved sidewise when its inlet 34 contacts the outside of the drum 11, if the drum is rotated while the nozzle is in contact with the drum.

A suction producing device 45 is connected to the outlet 35 of the nozzle 30. The device 45 may take the form of a pump or blower having an intake 46 connected by the flexible hose 47 with the nozzle 30 and having a discharge 48 connected with a flexible discharge hose 49 which may discharge the water removed from the tub 10 and clothes into a drain or laundry tub. A solenoid valve 50 may be placed in the hose connection 47, or at the intake 46, which is closed when it is desired to maintain the body 51 of wash or rinse water in the tub and is opened when it is desired to empty the body 51 or to prevent the formation of such a body 51 when condensing water is introduced into the tub 10 as hereafter more fully described.

A controller, such as timer 53, to be more fully described, causes the nozzle 30 to be away from the foraminous drum 11 when the body of water 51, is in the tub 10 and under certain other conditions to be more fully described. At that time the nozzle 30 may become the main water drain from the tub. The controller causes the nozzle 30 to be toward, or against, the drum 11 when there is no body 51 of water in the tub and while the clothes 52 are wet, to extract a portion of the water from the wet clothes after the body 51 of water has been drained from the tub. The water is drained from the tub 10 when the nozzle 30 is in its lower position away from the drum 11 and when the pump 45 is operating and the solenoid valve 50 is open. Water is extracted from the wet clothes when there is no body of water in the tub 10 and when the nozzle 30 is toward or substantially against the drum with the solenoid valve 50 open and the pump 45 operating.

During the washing operation, when there is a body 51 of water in the tub, the drum 11 is rotated at clothes tumbling speed, such that clothes are lifted by battles 60 out of the water and then dropped or tumbled into the water from an effective height above the water.

For the moisture extracting operation, when there is no body 51 of water in the tub, the tub is rotated at a speed permitting a substantial accumulation of wet clothes, the top of which is indicated by the irregular line 52, inside the drum at a zone immediately opposite or above the nozzle, so that a strong suction effect is produced on a relatively thick accumulation of clothes which cover the openings in the foraminous drum. The nozzle 30 is moved toward or against the drum 11 to produce the suction effect. The drum 11 may be temporarily stopped while the suction efiect is being produced, or the drum 11 may be slowly and continuously rotated at this time. If desired, the drum 11 may be reversed in rotation a slight distance to bring the accumulation 52 to a substantially symmetrical position 53 directly over the nozzle 30 before stopping the drum 30 and moving the nozzle 30 to its upper position. Also the drum 11 may be rotated at a speed to produce the accumulation of clothes while the nozzle 30 is in its lower position, and then the drum 11 may be stopped. (with or without slight reversal of rotation) and the nozzle 30 may be moved up into extracting position while the drum ll'rernains temporarily stationary. If desired the moisture extracting action may comprise a series of drum 11 rotations with the nozzle 30 down and drum pauses (with or without slight reversal of rotation) with the nozzle up after each rotation action, such series permitting a very effective moisture extraction to be performed.

A substantial amount of moisture is thus extracted before the final heating, evaporating, and vapor removing or condensing action takes place. Preferably the drum 11 is rotated at clothes tumbling speed during the final heating, evaporating and condensing action. Under certain conditions of size, drum 11 design and other factors the drum 11 speed may be uniform throughout the Washing, extracting and final heating, evaporating and vapor condensing actions previously described.

Means 61 are provided for imparting heat to the clothes when the nozzle 36 has been returned to its lower position after the moisture extracting operation. The heat is imparted to vaporize or evaporate moisture from the clothes for fiinal drying. The means 61 may take the form of a resistance electric heater 61 (or gas heater if desired). The heater is of sufiicient capacity to evaporate all of the remaining moisture in the clothes in a reasonable period of time. The drum is rotated at clothes tumbling speed during the heating operation. The heater 61 may be energized from a 220 v. supply L-L under the control of a solenoid switch 61a, the solenoid 61b of which being controlled by the timer 95 (to be further described). A manually adjustable thermostatic switch 61 is placed in the line 61d to cycle the heater in response to temperatures in the tub 10. A thermostatic bulb 61:? is placed in the tub 16 and is connected to the bellows 61f of switch 61e. This maintains the desired temperature in the tub during the drying operation.

Means are provided for introducing a vapor condensing liquid into the tub to condense the moisture vaporized by said heater 61. The liquid is introduced from the cold water supply pipe 62, solenoid valve 64, constant pressure or flow producing valve or restrictor 65, nozzle 66, and film distributing funnel or trough 67. A film of cold water is distributed along the inside face 68 of the tub 10, which condenses the moisture vapor driven from the clothes by the heating action of heater 61. The condensing and condensed Water flows down to the bottom of the tub and out nozzle 30, then in its lower position. Since the solenoid valve 50 is open and the pump 45 is operating at this time such water is discharged into the said drain or laundry tub. The cold water supply pipe 62 may be an unsoftened cold water supply pipe, if desired and if available.

If desired, the vaporized moisture may be removed from the tub 10 by means of a blower 69:; which has its inlet 69]) connected with the interior of the tub 10. The blower outlet 690 may discharge into a vent leading to the outside of the building or may discharge Within the building. The blower 69a may be driven by a power means 69d which may be a solenoid operated transmission connected with the motor 73, or it may be a separate motor directly connected to the blower. Ln either case it is controlled by the timer, as more fully described.

After the clothes have been dried, they may be removed through openings 12, 13 and 22 by opening the door 18 after the drum has been stopped.

The drum 11 may be made of perforated sheet metal in a manner more fully to be described. Preferably the perforations are much smaller in diameter, or similar dimension, then the width of the nozzle 30. While the perforations have been shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 6 relatively large in comparison to the width of the nozzle 30, for a more clear illustration, it is to be understood that such perforations should be much smaller than the nozzle width. If they are made sutficiently small, the screen of FIGURE 3 or the indentations of FIGURE 4 need not be used. Under certain conditions when the drum is stationary during nozzle contact with the accumula- 6 tion of clothes 52 or 53 over the nozzle, the drum 11 may be made of metal screen cloth supported by a metal cage inside the cloth. Also when the drum 11 is to be stationary during the time of contact with the nozzle 30, it is preferred to make the drum 11 with a cylindrical metal sheet or metal screen cloth having very frequent perforations throughout the surface of the drum 11 with quite small diameters or dimensions compared to the nozzle Width. It is preferred to have the perforations so there are several perforations along any line perpendicular to the length of the nozzle 30.

The drum 11 may be rotated and supported by the shaft rotating in bearing 71 on the rear wall 72 of tub 10. Pulleys 76:: may be carried by tub 1G and may support the front end or rim 14 of the drum 11. The shaft 70 may be rotated by motor 73 through the medium of one or more belts and pulleys (not shown) or other power transmission means. If desired, a solenoid operated multiple speed transmission and/or clutch 74 may be included for imparting different speeds or directions of rotation during the washing, extracting and final heat evaporating actions, but this may be omitted if the speed is to remain uniform during all of these actions.

The flexible hose 47 may be connected or blend with the elongated funnel 75, preferably also made of rubber or rubber like material. The upper rim 76 of funnel is connected to the outlet 35 of nozzle 30 in a water and air tight manner.

The flexible wall 31 may also be in the form of a flexible funnel having end walls 77 shown in FIGURE 2 which blend with the side walls designated as 31 in FIGURE 1. The upper rim 78 formed by walls 77 and 31, is sealed at 32 in a water tight manner.

The suction pump 45 may be driven from the motor 73 through the medium of any type of transmission, such as a belt. The transmission may include a solenoid operated clutch 73a which connects and disconnects the drive from the motor 73 to pump 45.

Hot wash water may be introduced from the hot Water supply pipe 79, solenoid valve 86, thermostatic Water mixer 81, constant pressure flow valve or restrictor 82, and nozzle 82a above trough 67. Cold wash water may be introduced from cold water supply pipe 83, solenoid valve 84, mixer 81, restrictor 82, and nozzle 82a. The hot and cold water may be mixed at 81 under thermostatic fiow control (if desired) when both valves 89 and 84 are simultaneously opened, or hot or cold water alone may be introduced by the selective opening of only hot water valve St or cold water valve 84. The Water supply pipes 79 and 83 may supply soft or artificially softened water if desired and if available, or they may supply water of the same softeness or hardness as is supplied by the pipe 62, if desired.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the drum 11 may be a sheet metal horizontal cylindrical drum having many perforations 85 covered by metal screening 86 or other foraminous material capable of preventing portions of the clothes from being sucked and harmed by the nozzle 30.

The nozzle 39 may be made of steel, copper, nylon, or any other suitable material desired.

Referring to FIGURE 4, the drum 11 may be a sheet metal horizontal drum having many inward indentations 87 provided with one or more openings 88 to permit passage of air and Water, but preventing harmful sucking of portions of clothes into contact with the nozzle 36.

Control means may be provided, such as diagrammatically indicated in FIGURE 5. Such control means may include the washing and extracting operations timer 53 and the evaporating or drying operations timer 90, if it is desired to provide selection for washing and extracting alone, for drying alone, or for both. However, if such selection is not desired, the timers 53 and 90 may be combined into one unitary timer as will become apparent.

The timer 53 may be connected to one hot line L and to the neutral or grounded line 91. It includes a knob 92 manually movable to a start position and self powered and/ or manually movable to a plurality of timed operations ending in a stop position at which time the timer motor winding 93 is deenergized as are all of the leads except lead 94 which is closed at this time from line L to timer 9%, and which starts timer 90 if knob 95 is at start or at any intermediate shorter time interval. The drying operation will end when the knob 95 reaches stop, the timer motor winding 96 being deenergized, as are all the other leads from timer 9%. The constructions of timers such as 53 and 9! are well known and are not further described except to indicate that each timer energizes the various leads to produce the various operations now or previously described for the proper lengths of time.

In the method of operation of the embodiment of FIG- URES l-4 and 5, clothes and detergent are introduced into the drum 11 and the timer knob 92 is turned to start with knob 95 also at start, and the following operations may take place under the control of timers 53 and 90. Hot wash water is introduced at a constant volume rate for a controlled period of time by the opening of valve 89 to fill the tub It with the body of hot water 51. The drum is rotated by motor 73 at clothes tumbling speed for the selected length of time with the nozzle 30 at its lower position and the suction valve 50 closed, and the pump 45 idle. Thereafter, the tub is emptied of water by opening the valve 50 and driving the pump 45 by clutch 73a. The moisture extracting operation may be performed by rotating the drum at a speed permitting a substantial accumulation 52 of wet clothes opposite the nozzle 30 when it is in its upper position. Such speed of the drum may be the same or slower or faster than the tumbling speed, as found desirable. The accumulation 52 of wet clothes may be formed by rotation of the drum while the nozzle 36 is in its'lower position and then the drum may be stopped (or slightly reversed and stopped to form accumulation 53) and the nozzle moved to its upper position for a moisture extracting action. The nozzle may then be lowered and the drum again rotated to form a new accumulation 52 of clothes after which the drum may be again stopped (or slightly reversed and stopped to form accumulation 53) and the nozzle raised for a second extracting action. Several of these accumulation forming and moisture extracting actions may be performed before proceeding to a rinse or drying action. However, if desired, the drum 11 may be continuously rotated at a speed permitting accumulation of wet clothes and the nozzle may be moved up adjacent to the drum while it rotates without stopping.

Thereafter, a rinse action may be produced by introducing another body of water 51 after the nozzle 30 has been lowered, the valve 50 has been closed and the pump 45 stopped. The rinse operation may be with all hot water, mixed hot and cold water or all cold water, by the operation of the valves 80 and/or 84. The drum is rotated at clothes tumbling speed for the desired rinse action, after which the tub is similarly emptied of water and a second similar water extracting operation is performed on the clothes. A second set of rinsing and moisture extracting actions may follow.

The moisture remaining in the clothes, after the final rinse and extraction, may be evaporated from the clothes by energizing the heater 61 while the nozzle 30 is in its lower position, and the drum -11 is rotated at clothes tumbling speed. A vapor condensing action is simultaneously established by introducing cold water by opening cold water valve 64 which produces a film of cold condensing water on surface 68 into which the vapor condenses as it is evaporated from the clothes by the action of heater 61. The condensing and condensed water flows into nozzle 30 and is pumped by pump 45 into a drain or laundry tub. However, if desired, the blower 69a may be used to remove the evaporated moisture from the tub 10, instead of the vapor condensing action produced by cold water. The blower 69a withdraws air and vapor evaporated from the clothes and discharges them through outlet 690 to any desired place. The timer may be provided with means for selecting the condensing action produced by valve 64 or vapor removing action of blower 69a. Such means may include manually operable switches 90a and 99b which may be operated by a single knob for alternatively opening and closing the desired switch. If desired, the heater 61, the condensing water pipe 66a and trough 67a may be placed on the right side (or drum rising side) of tu'o 68 as viewed in FIGURE 1.

The clothes are removed upon the completion of the drying operation when the timer knob reaches its stop position, which deenergizes all of the circuits of the machine.

The machine may be used to wash the clothes with or without the final drying operation by proper operation of the timer knobs 92 and 95. It also may be used to dry only, by placing the knob 92 at stop and the knob 95 at start.

The drum 11 may be rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 1, or it may be rotated clockwise if desired, as viewed in FIGURE 1. When rotated clockwise the accumulation 52 of clothes slants upwardly to the left instead of to the right.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 6, the parts which are substantially identical with the previously described parts are indicated by similar reference numerals. Where the parts have been modified, numerals above are used as reference numerals. The tub it), drum 11, heater 61, condensing water nozzle 66 etc., are substantially the same as previously described. However, the nozzle 13%) may be placed on the rising side of the rotating drum 11 as indicated, where the clothes may be substantially accumulated by the selected speed of the drum. The nozz'le may be raised and lowered by substantially the same means as previously described. The suction hose 47 is connected to a two-way solenoid valve which selectively connects the combined suction pipe 151 either with the nozzle suction hose 47 or with the drain outlet hose 152 which is connected to a fixed outlet 153 at the bottom of the tub 10. The outlet 153 is used to empty the tub of water by connecting it to pump 45 by the action of solenoid valve 159. The water may be extracted from the clothes by raising the nozzle 130 substantially into coritact with drum 11 at a point opposite the clothes accumulation 154 of the wet clothes. The nozzle 130 is then connected to the pump 45 while outlet 153 is disconnected by the action of solenoid valve 150. During the drying operation, the outlet 153 is connected to the pump while the nozzle 130 is disconnected. At this time condensing water is introduced by nozzle 66 and the condensing and condensed water flows out outlet 153. The solenoid valve 150 has a fill position in which neither outlet 153 nor nozzle 130 is connected to the pump 45. This fill position is used when the tub is being filled with water and during the wash and rinse operations, as is evident. If it is desired to use nozzle 130 with the drum L1 in stopped position, in a manner similar to that described in connection with FIGURES 1-5, the nozzle 130 is connected to pump 45 when the nozzle is in upper position and the outlet 153 is disconnected. While the drum 11 is rotated to produce a new accumulation 154 of clothes the nozzle 130 is lowered and is disconnected from pump 45 and outlet 153 is connected to the pump 45. This insures the removal of any water from the bottom of the tub which might be released from the clothes bythe clothes compressing action produced by the suction effect of nozzle 130. Several suction actions and drum pauses may take place at the end of each wash or rinse operation, as previously described in connection with FIGURES 1-5. Timer means for controlling this modification may be provided by modifying the timer means of FIGURE 5, as is obvious.

The drum may be intermittently rotated with the nozzle away from the drum during rotation and toward the drum during pauses. The rotation may be a fraction of a rotation, a complete rotation, or more than one rotation, including a plurality of rotations as desired.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 7, parts which are substantially similar to those previously described in connection with FIGURES l and 2 are designated by numerals similar to those used in connection with FIGURES l and 2, except that 200 has been added thereto. The description of these parts will not be repeated except where incidentally necessary.

One difference in FIGURE 7 is that the foraminous drum or carriage 211 has a lower position (shown in full lines) which is used while the clothes are being subjected to a vacuum action to extract water from the clothes, and the drum 211 has an upper position (designated by the dotted line 211a), which is used while the clothes are being washed or are being subjected to a drying, evaporating action.

The tub 210 may be provided with a substantially stationary nozzle 302, which may be made of rubber-like material or of metal, plastic material, or other material, as desired. It is connected by the tube 247 with the combined water and vacuum pump 245. The drum 211 is mounted on the shaft 270 at one end and on the usual roller construction, or the like, at the other end. The shaft 279 is carried by a vertically movable bearing, and the roller construction is carried by the vertically movable shafts, and the like, so the drum 211 is movable from the full line position of FIGURE 7 to the dotted line position 211a, and vice versa.

The bearing and the roller shaft constructions move in slots in the respective end-walls of the tub 210, and flexible seals may be provided to retain the water in the tub and yet permit the said vertical movement. The hearing of shaft 270 and the shafts of the rollers are moved by a suitable bellows construction, diagrammatically indicated at 322 which moves the drum 211 up or down.

The bellows 322 may act directly on the bearing and shaft constructions or may act through the medium of the lever construction 324, which is diagrammatically indicated to be fulcrumed at 326. In FIGURE 7, lifting connection is indicated by the dotted line 316, connected at 320 to lever 324, which is diagrammatic of the lifting and lowering action on the drum 211. Any linkage or leverage may pull up or push up on the bearing for shaft 270 and the rollers on the front end of the drum.

The shaft 270 may be rotated counterclockwise by the pulley 328, which is driven by the belt 330, which is driven by the pulley 332, which is driven from the motor 273 directly, or by a belt or shaft, with or without the transmission or clutch 274, similar in action, if desired, to the clutch 74 heretofore described. When the drum 211 is in its lower position, the belt 339 is loose as diagrammatically indicated at 330a and does not drive the drum 211. When the drum 211 is in its upper position 211a the belt 339 is tight and drives the drum. Any other means of obtaining this rotation of the drum 211 and the lifting and lowering of the drum 211, may be used instead of the specific means disclosed, as desired.

In one type of operation of the embodiment of FIG- URE 7, the tub 210 is filled with wash water and detergent to the level 251. The clothes 252 are inserted in the drum. The filling action may be under the control of the valves 28:? and 284, etc., similarly to the action in FIGURES l and 2. At that time the drum 211 is in its raised position 211a, and the drum is rotated at a slow or tumbling speed, to tumble the clothes by the action of the vanes 260 to produce a washing action. After the desired length of washing time, the valve 250 may be opened, if such valve is used, and the pump 245 is operated to remove the water from tub 210. If an extraction of water from the wet clothes is then desired, the drum 211 is lowered to the full line position while the combined water and vacuum pump 245 continues to operate. The drum 211 is stopped in its lowered position, by the loose condition of belt 330, which became loose when the bellows 322 lowered the drum 211, and by braking action of any kind, such as frictional contact of drum 211 with nozzle 392, or by an additional brake of any kind, not shown. The pump 245 and the nozzle 302 then impose an extracting action on the accumulation of clothes indicated by the irregular line 252 in FIGURE 7 and which was produced by the stopping action of the drum. This removes a substantial amount of Water from the clothes. If desired, the drum 211 is then lifted and rotated a short time to redistribute the clothes into another accumulation which is produced when the drum 211 is lowered to be subjected to another vacuum extraction. Such drum lifting and rotation followed by lowering, stopping and vacuum action (I may be repeated as many times as desired. After such repeated action, or single action, the tub may be filled with rinse water, the drum may be rotated at tumbling speed in its upper position, and the clothes may be rinsed as long as desired. Thereafter, the vacuum extracting operation or operations may be repeated to remove or wring the water from the clothes. One or more rinsing and vacuum wringing operations may be used. The repeated vacuum action and redistributing actions described to be performed after the wash cycle may also be used after each of the one or more rinse cycles. Thereafter, the remaining water in the clothes may be evaporated by placing the drum 211 in its upper position, turning on the condensing water at trough 267, energizing the heater 261, operating pump 245 with or without the operation of fan 26961. The evaporation may be obtained by the operation of the heater 261, rotation of drum in position 2110 and operation of fan 269a without the condensing action of trough 267, if desired.

The lifting of the drum 211 may be accomplished by any suitable means, such as by cam construction, solenoid action, or other suitable means. If the bellows construction 322 is used, the bellows 322 may be filled by opening the water inlet pipe 322a and closing outlet pipe 3220 under the control of the two-way solenoid valve 32211. The drum 211 may be lowered by emptying the bellows by opening the drain pipe 322a and closing pipe 322a by solenoid 3221) or the like under the control of a proper timer, such as shown in FIGURE 5 and which may be modified by producing the actions desired such as those previously described. The inlet pipe 322a may be connected to the usual pressure city water supply and the outlet 3220 may discharge into a drain. The rotation and stoppage of the drum 211 may be accomplished by any desired transmission which may use or omit the belt drive heretofore described.

The vacuum action of any of the figures herein described may be obtained with the aid of antifriction rollers such as shown in FIGURE 8. The rollers 350 and 352 may be made of soft or hard rubber or the like, metal, plastic, etc., and may be carried by the nozzle 354, or by the end walls of the tub, or by any other suitable means. The foraminous rotatable drum 356 and the tub 358 may be similar to any of the embodiments herein disclosed. For example, the drum 356 may be vertically movable as in FIGURE 7 with the nozzle 354 relatively stationary and the rollers 350 and 352 freely rotatably carried by the end walls of the tub 358 or by the nozzle 354. The clearances are such that the necessary flow of water is permitted in and through the clearances between the rollers and nozzle 354; but the vacuum action of pump 370a with open solenoid valve 3720 is made sutficiently strong to produce a very substantial extracting action on the clothes. In a second condition, the nozzle 354 may be movable, as in FIGURES 1-6, and the rollers may remain adjacent the drum 356. In a third condition the drum 356 and the rollers 350 and 352 may move up and down together away from and toward the nozzle 354. In a fourth condition the nozzle 354 and rollers 350 and 352 may move together toward and away from the drum 356. In a fifth condition the rollers 350 and 352 may move only, such as away from each other while the drum 356 and tub 358 maintain the same spacing from each other. Under all of these conditions the rollers 350 and 352 aid in producing the desired vacuum extracting action upon the wet clothes and also aid in reducing the friction action, particularly when the vacuum action is to be produced while the drum rotates in the manner described in connection with many of the embodiments herein disclosed.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 9 the foraminous drum 360 and the tub 362 may be the same as in any of the embodiments of the other figures. When the vacuum is to be applied to the clothes, the drum 36% remains or is moved to the position relatively close to tub 362 so that there is a long and narrow clearance at 364 and 366 so that when a vacuum is produced in the nozzle 368 by the pump 370, a very substantial vacuum extracting action is produced on the Wet clothes. In one method of operation of this embodiment, the drum 360 and the tub 362 may remain in all conditions of wash, rinse, wring and evaporation, substantially in the same relationship shown in this FIGURE 9. The nozzle 362 in FIGURE 9 may be hard rubber or may be metal and be part of the metal tub. The drum 360 may be rotated at one constant tumbling speed during the wash, rinse, vacuum extraction, and evaporation drying actions, and the pump 370 may be stopped when water is to be maintained in the tub, such water being maintained in the tub by the sealing action of the pump while stationary, if desired; or the pump 370 may be maintained in rotation at all times and the water level may be maintained by an added solenoid valve 372. During wash, the stationary pump 370 (or the rotating pump 37 (l and the closed and added solenoid valve 372) keep the Wash water in the tub after it has been introduced by water valves, such as 80, S4, 280, 284, etc. Thereafter, the pump 370 rotates (or the valve 372 is opened while the pump 370 continues to rotate) and removes the water from the tub, and thereafter continued rotation of the drum 360 at clothes accumulation producing speed, as herein described and rotation of the pump 370 produce a vacuum extracting action on the clothes because of the frictional narrow passageways 364 and 366. Rinse action and vacuum extraction is produced, if desired, in a manner similar to the wash action, such rinse action and vacuum action being produced one or more times. Thereafter, evaporation of the remaining water in the clothes is produced by operation of a fan, such as fan 69a or 269a, etc., and operation of a heater, such as heaters 61, 261, etc. Under other conditions the evaporation may be produced by the continued vacuum action of pump 370 without fan 69a, 269a, etc., since the pump 370 may be used to produce the necessary air circulation into and out of the tub 362.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 10, the actions of FIG- URE 9 may be embodied and may be the same in the drum 380, tub 382, narrow spaces 384 and 386, nozzle 388, pump 390, with or without solenoid valve 392, except that the drum 380 and tub 382 may be relatively movable with respect to each other either by vertically moving the drum 384), or the tub 382, or 'both the drum 380 and the tub 382, so that the passageways 384 and 385 are long and narrow when the drum 380 and tub 382 are close together, and are long and wider apart, as indicated by the dotted lines 382a, when the drum 380 and the tub 382 are separated. Also if desired, the bottom portion of the tub 382 may be flexible to a certain extent so that the separation away and the movement toward each other is obtained by the movement of the lower part of the tub. However, the bottom of the tub may be solid and the movement may be of the entire tub or the entire drum or both.

In all of the embodiments herein disclosed the drum, and tub if desired, may be tilted to any desired degree from a'horizontal pisition with the clothes opening 13, for example, in FIGURE 2., higher than the shaft 70 somewhat in the same manner as in working machines now 011 the market, which however do not have the vacuum principle of this invention. In FIGURE 2 the horizontal plane of such a tilted machine is indicated by the dotted line A-A, and the operation of such tilted machine will become apparent by holding FIGURE 2 with the line AA in actual horizontal position. The perforations of the drum 11 (or other drums herein disclosed) may be limited to the back half, i.e., the half adjacent the shaft 70, since the accumulation of clothes is concentrated in such back half when the tub is so tilted.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 11, the parts which correspond to those previously described in connection with the other embodiments, are indicated by numerals in the 400s with the last two digits the same as in the corresponding parts of previous figures. For example, the drum 411 may be substantially the same as the previous drums 11 of FIGURES 1-7, and the tub 410 may be the same as tub 10 or 210. The water controls 464, 48! 484, etc., may be the same as previous controls 64, 89 and 84, etc. However, a stationary water discharge trough 540 may be connected to a water pump 542 which discharges through pipe 544 to a drain, laundry stationary tub or the like. A stationary vacuum nozzle 546 may be stationarily closely adjacent the wall of the drum 411 to provide long and vacuum producing passageways 364a and 366a similar to passageways 364 and 366 of FIGURE 9, but in a slightly slanting position where an accumulation of clothes 548 may be produced by the proper rotation of the tub 411. A vacuum pump 550 and water separator 551 may be connected to the nozzle 546 with a pipe and solenoid valve 551a. The separator 551 discharges the separated water through the pipe 552 into the intake of water pump 542. The air from the separator 551 is discharged through the pipe 554. The vacuum pump 550 maybe driven from the motor 473 by the combined transmission and solenoid 2 controlled clutch 556. The separation of water from the air in the separator 551 may be by a baflle separator, or a centrifugal cyclone separator, or the like.

The pipe 554 may be connected to the exterior discharge pipe 558, which, if desired, may discharge through window or vent 559 outdoors. The pipe 554 may also be connected to the recirculating pipe 560 which may discharge at 562 into the tub 410. The flow of air from pipe 554 may be selectively directed into the pipe 558 or the pipe 560, or into both 558 and 560 by the vane or valve 564 which may be manually or timer controlled, as desired.

One type of operation for the embodiment of FIG- may be performed by accumulation rotation of tube 411 a to produce an accumulation 548 of clothes adjacent the vacuum nozzle 546. The pump 550 and water separator 551 are operated and valve 551a is opened to produce a strong vacuum in nozzle 546, while the separated water is discharged into the intake of the water pump 542 or into a drain, or laundry tub, and the air may be discharged either into pipe 558 or pipe 560, or both as desired. After a sufficient wringing action has been produced, a clear water rinse may be produced in a similar manner as the wash operation just described, but without detergent in the water, although softener may be added if desired. Thereafter, a similar vacuum wringing action may be produced. Thereafter, a second rinse and wringing action may be produced, if desired.

Thereafter, an evaporating action may be produced by operating the vacuum pump 550 and separator 551 and opening of valve 551a with rotation of the clothes, as previously described, and the heater 461 may be turned on to provide heat for evaporation of the water remaining in the clothes. The air from pipe 554 may be discharged into pipe 558, or pipe 560, or both 558 and 560, as desired. If air is discharged into pipe 560 at this time, the vapor condensed may also be operated by trickling water down the inside wall of the tub from the trough 467 from cold water pipe 462, which water, and the condensed water are discharged into trough 540, pump 542 and discharge pipe 544. If desired, the nozzle 546 may be made movable toward and away from the drum 411 in the same manner as nozzle 130 in FIGURES 6 and 10. The blower or vacuum pump 550 need not have the water separator 551 added to it, as the water and air may be discharged together into a stationary tub or outdoors, with or without the water and air separator 551, of well known construction.

For all of the embodiments an automatic timer control may be provided in a manner similar to that shown and described in connection with FIGURE 5. Such timer controls may be modified from that of FIGURE 5, where necessary, to produce the operations described in connection with the specific embodiment, in a manner which will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, with the descriptions given herein in mind.

In the modification shown in'FIGURE 12 of the embodiment of FIGURE 11, the nozzle 546b may be part of or be carried by a flexible, or rubber-like wall 5460 which is attached on a substantially rectangular opening 570 in the tub 410. The wall 5460 hangs outwardly in the dotted line position when the vacuum pump 550 is not operating to space the nozzle 54612 away from the drum 411, as during a wash or rinse action. However, the nozzle 54% is spaced only a short distance from drum 411 even during wash, etc. However, when the pump 550 is operated the vacuum produced in the nozzle 546b is sufiicient to draw the nozzle 54612 toward the drum 411 to the full line position to produce vacuum friction passageways 364a and 366a substantially of the same operation as in FIGURES 10 and 11. This is accomplished by having the spacing of the nozzle never too far from drum 411. During evaporative drying, the nozzle 5461) may be drawn toward the drum 411 by the operation of pump 550. i

All other parts of the embodiment of FIGURE 12, whether shown or not shown may be substantially identical to the parts of FIGURE 11. p

The nozzle 130 of FIGURE 6 may also be moved toward and away from drum 11 in the same vacuum reaction manner as just described in connection with nozzle 546b of FIGURE 12, without the solenoid or other action previously described. Likewise the nozzle 30 of FIGURE 1 may be drawn toward the drum 11 by the vacuum action described in connection with FIGURE 12 without the use of solenoid 40 or the like.

In FIGURES l1 and 12, where low cost is desired, the condenser action by cold water pipe 462 and trough 467 and recirculating pipe 560 and valve 564 may be omitted and the moist air may be discharged by pipes 554 and 558 either into the room or outdoors as desired, with or without the separator 551.

Conversely, the pipe 558 may be omitted, and the condensing action at 467 and recirculation at 560 may be retained.

In all embodiments while the operation has been described with the heater 61 operating after the nozzle 30 has been lowered for example, it is to be understood that the heater 61 may be operating during the final water extraction operation as it is believed that any air drawn 14 through the accumulation of clothes acted upon by the low pressure zone created by the suction nozzle 30 will assist in the drying of the clothes.

Where a machine according to this invention is to be used only as a wringing machine, with or without evaporative action, the tub 11, or tubs of other embodiments may be any non-rotatable casing desired.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 13 and 14 a foraminous drum 610 is rotatably mounted within the tub 610. The members indicated by the prefix 6 are substantially the same as coresponding members in FIGURES l1 and 12 which begin with the prefix 4 or 5. For example, the pipes and valves 664, 679, 680, 681, etc., in FIGURE 13 are substantially the same as pipes and valves 464, 479, 480, 481, etc., in FIGURE 11. Hence descriptions thereof are not repeated.

However, the vacuum nozzle 701 is mounted on a vacuum pipe 702 which pipe may be circular where it passes through a circular opening 704 in the tub 610. A flexible rubber seal 702a is connected to the pipe 702 and tub 610. A weak spring 706 is attached to the tub 610 and to a disc member 708 fixed on pipe 702 and is so calibrated that the nozzle 701 is pulled up adjacent the drum 610 by the suction action in the nozzle 701 and allows the nozzle 7 01 to move downwardly when the suction action is stopped. The disc 710 which is carried by pipe 702 stops the inward movement of the nozzle 701 when it almost touches the drum 610 to create a high suction and air flow through the laundry 648, which is accumulated by counterclockwise rotation of the drum 610. The nozzle 701 may be of sutficient length substantially to coincide with the length of the drum 610, while the pipe 702 may be circular in cross section, if desired. A solenoid valve 712 may be placed in the flexible, rubberlike pipe 714 which is connected to the powerful high volume vacuum pump 650.

The solenoid valve 712 is open when suction is to be produced and is closed when water is to be maintained in the tub.

A combined moisture separator and moisture condenser 651A may be cylindrical, rectangular, etc., in horizontal cross section and contains the contact material 716, which may be spherical or irregular bodies, zigzag bafiies, or of any other shapes to separate the moisture from the air discharged at 718 from the pump 650 as such air flows upwardly into the pipes 654, 658 and/or 660. Such separated moisture trickles down and is discharged through pipe 652 into the intake of water suction pump 642.

Cooling water may be discharged through the spray head 720 on the contact material 716. The cooling water may be supplied from the cold water pipe 662 under control of solenoid valve 665, and constant discharge pressure valve 664. This cooling water condenses the water vapor from the upwardly flowing air and joins the separated water to be discharged through the pipe 652 to pump 642 and discharge hose 644 to a drain or laundry tub, etc.

The air flowing upwardly through pipe 654 may be discharged into the room, outdoors through vent or window 659, or may be returned to tub 610 through pipe 660 (as determined by the position of vane 664A). If the air is returned to the tub, the air is heated by heater 661 and evaporates and absorbs the moisture from the laundry 648.

The nozzle 701 can be moved toward and away from drum 610 by the suction action in combination with the calibrated spring 706 and the weight of the parts attached thereto. That is, the nozzle 701 is pulled toward the drum 610 when the vacuum pump 750 operates because of the reaction of the differential pressure of the air on the under side of the nozzle and the pressure of the air between the nozzle 701 and the drum 610. The high kinetic energy of the high velocity air between the nozzle 701 and drum 611 reduces the pressure of the air considerably below the atmospheric pressure on the upper side and a high pressure under the nozzle 701 to produce an upward push on the nozzle. When the pump 750 stops, this differential 15 pressure is equalized and the nozzle 701 recedes from the drum.

Under certain conditions, the nozzle 701 may be completely stationary and may be placed close to the drum 611 to produce the action previously described in connection with FIGURE 9.

The separator 651A may be used without the condensing principle and damp air may be discharged outdoors through pipe 658 or into the room or elsewhere. The condensing action may be transferred to the condenser construction shown in dotted lines 662a, 664a, 665a, and 667a similar to constructions previously described. In this case the condensing water flows down the tub wall, around the pipe 702 and seal 703 and into water pump 642.

The drum 611 and pumps 642 and 750 may be operated-by individual motors or from the single motor 673 through the medium of automatic transmissions 637a, 674 and 656. All of the controllable members may be controlled by a timer similar to FIGURE 5, to produce the desired sequences.

The separators 551 of FIGURES 11 and 12 and the separator-condenser 651A of FIGURE 13 may be interchanged with proper modification of the condensing water connections, etc., as is apparent.

Several difierent types of operations of the embodiment of FIGURES 13 and 14 may be used. For example, to simplify the construction of the machine and the timer control, laundry and detergent may be introduced in drum 611, which drum 611 may then be continuously rotated at relatively slow agitation and accumulation producing speeds which speeds may be identical throughout the washing, wringing and evaporative drying cycles, or which speeds may be somewhat different, as desired. The nozzle 701 may be movable toward and away from drum 611 or such nozzle may be stationary, as above described. Wash Water is introduced at 6321: under timer and proper valve 682, 680, '684,etc., control to fill the tub to the proper amount while the solenoid valves 650 and 712 are closed. After sufiicient washing time, the valve 650'is opened and as much wash water as possible is drained through outlet 640 into pump 642 and discharge hose 644. Then solenoid valve 712 is opened and vacuum pump 750 is operated (or continues to operate throughout the entire wash, wring and evaporative dry cycle). The rotation of drum 611 causes an accumulation of clothes to be produced as indicated by line 648 which is subjected to' the vacuum action of nozzle 701 to withdraw or wring a substantial amount of water from the clothes or laundry. Air in high volume flows through the accumulation of clothes to sweep water along with it into the pump 750 and into the separator'condenser 651A where the water is separated from the air. Condensing water may or may not be introduced at 720 at this time, as desired. The air from pipe 6-54 is discharged through either the pipe 658 or 660, as desired. After suflicient wringing time the solenoid valves 650 and 7 12 are closed and rinse water in proper amount is introduced at 682a under timer and valve control and the drum 610 continues to rotate to agitate and rinse the clothes for the desired length of time. Thereafter, the valves 6'50 and 712 are opened in proper sequence as previously described in connection with the wash operation to remove the main body of water through outlet 640 and to wring water through outlet 702 as previously described. A second rinse cycle, similar to the first rinse cycle may be provided. During the vacuum action of the fiinal rinse cycle, the heater 661 is energized by the timer and the condensing water is introduced at 720 if not previously done, and if the air is being returned to tub 610 through pipe 660. This enhances the evaporative drying of the clothes which is continued sufiiciently long to dry the clothes to the desired degree.

The foregoing method or operation of the embodiment of FIGURE 13 is not the only one possible with this embodiment and may be varied as desired and particularly in view of the previous descriptions of this and other embodiments, as is obvious.

In FIGURES 11, 12 and 13 the vacuum pumps 550 and 7 50 may be placed suificiently above the water level produced in the tub, so that the solenoid valves at the intakes of such pumps may be omitted. Such pumps may be stopped during the time that liquid is to be maintained in the tub, as during a wash or rinse cycle. The vacuum nozzles, however, are maintained at the proper level to operate on the accumulation of the clothes, and are connected to the vacuum pumps by sufiiciently long suction pipes, which pipes may be flexible to permit movement of the nozzles to and from the drum, if desired.

In FIGURE 15 the pipe 702, nozzle 701 seal 702a and disc 710 may be the same as in FIGURES 13 and 14. However, the spring 706a may be inside the tub 610 and. may be a compression spring which does not quite move the nozzle 701 up against the drum 611 except when a suction action is produced. When the suction is stopped,

the weight of the nozzle 701,'etc., overcomes the spring 706a and allows the nozzle to move down.

In FIGURE 16 the drum 11 may be substantially smooth with small openings 88a continuously around the drum. The drum may be a perforated sheet metal drum, an expanded metal drum, a metal mesh drum, or a drum of any other material which allows the air and liquid from the accumulation of clothes to circulate through to the suction nozzle 30, or to any other suction nozzle disclosed in this application. The drum 11 of FIGURE 16 may be used in any of the embodiments disclosed in this application.

The accumulation of clothes and the like, as herein contemplated, may :be produced by a slow rotation of the particular drum of carriage of any of the embodiments herein disclosed to produce a clothes rolling action, which tends to accumulate the clothes in a large body or accumulation adjacent the nozzle, where the vacuum action can produce a clothes compacting action and a sweeping flow of a large volume of air through the clothes. Also the accumulation of clothes and the like as herein contemplated may be produced by stopping the rotation of the drum or carriage of any of the embodiments while rotating at any speed to allow the clothes to come to rest in a large body or accumulation adjacent the nozzle to produce a vacuum action as above indicated.

In FIGURE 1, and also may be used, but not shown in FIGURES 7-10, the pump discharge pipes, such as discharge pipe 49 of the combined water and vacuum pump 45 and of pumps 245, 370a, 370, 390, may be extended up as indicated by dotted line 49a above the level 51 of the water in the tub at 49b and may then extend down as at 490, if desired, to a floor drain or remain up on a hook discharge pipe or the'like over the edge of a laundry stationary tub. A check valve 49d, which opens downwardly may break the possible siphon action, by admitting atmospheric air from pipe 49c when the pump 45'is stationary. Under these conditions the solenoid valve 50 may be omitted, as the body of water will not be disfrom FIGURE 1 which might eliminate the solenoid valve 50, condensing drain 67 or 67a andwater feed therefor, heater 6 1 and controls, etc., therefor, and blower 69a. The nozzle 30 may be moved up and down by cam or solenoid 40 action, or such cam or solenoid 40 may be omitted and the vacuum action alone which has been previously described may be used instead. If a simple, inexpensive combined washer, wringer and dryer is desired, then the heater 61 and the controls and feed lines thereof may be added, as well as blower 69c.

The line 490 may discharge into a water and air separator 49g if desired, with the water discharge 4% connected to a drain or laundry tub and with the air discharge 491 discharging into the room or outdoors.

The air and water discharge construction shown in FIG- URE 1 and described in the preceding three paragraphs is also applicable to FIGURE 6, and to the discharges from the vacuum pumps 550 and 750 in FIGURES 11-15.

In all of the embodiments, the drum or carriage is made substantially entirely of water impervious material, such as metal, plastic material and the like which can not absorb moisture to any substantial degree.

In all of the embodiments herein disclosed, a non rotatable tub is to be provided with a foraminous carriage in said tub. Means are to be provided for introducing clothes in said carriage. Means are to be provided for introducing a body of water in said tub to submerge a part of said carriage in said body, and means are to be provided to rotate said carriage in said body of Water at a speed to agitate and wash the clothes. Means are to be provided to withdraw said body of water from said tub. If desired, means are to be provided to stop rotation of said carriage with an accumulation of clothes in said carriage. A vacuum nozzle is to be provided having an inlet adjacent said carriage and said accumulation of clothes. Vacuum means may be provided to apply a vacuum to said nozzle while said carriage is in stopped condition to impart a vacuum action on said accumulation of clothes.

Also if desired, means may be provided in all of the embodiments to cause the carriage of the preceding paragraph to be rotated and stopped repeatedly to redistribute the clothes in said carriage in repeated accumulations for repeated vacuum actions on said clothes.

All of the embodiments herein disclosed may be operated in the manner described in either of the two preceding paragraphs to achieve the methods performed by such operations.

It is thus to be seen that an improved, sanitary, efficient, slow speed and inexpensive method and apparatus for extracting moisture from wet laundry and the like has been provided which is particularly adaptable for use, if desired, in a complete washing, wringing and drying laundry machine.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a laundry machine, a confining means for receiving wet laundry, said confining means having a movable non-absorbent foraminous portion for supporting and tumbling said wet laundry on one side of said foraminous portion, means for moving said foraminous portion to tumble said wet laundry thereon, stron unidirectional suction means, nozzle means operatively connected to said suction means and having inlet means disposed in substantially sealed relation against the other side of said foraminous portion to suck moisture from said wet laundry only when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means by only drawing a large volume of air from said confining means through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said suction means in unimpeded relation between said foraminous portion and said inlet means while said foraminous portion is being moved whereby said suction means applies an unimpeded suction directly on the layer of laundry disposed against said one side of said foraminous portion, and heater means for heating the air to be subsequently drawn directly through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said suction means to tend to further dry said wet laundry when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means and said nozzle inlet means is disposed in substantially sealed relation against said other side of said 18 foraminous portion while said foraminous portion is being moved.

2. In a laundry machine as set forth in claim 1, means to cause relative movement between said foraminous portion and said nozzle means to place said nozzle inlet means into and out of sealing relationship with said foraminous portion.

3. In a laundry machine as set forth in claim 1, a second suction means cooperating with said heater means to cause a flow of heated air through which said wet laundry is tumbled whereby said second suction means tends to evaporatively dry said wet laundry.

4. In a laundry machine, a confining means for receiving laundry, means for introducing a body of Water in said confining means for washing said laundry, means for removing said body of water from said confining means to leave wet laundry in said confining means, said confining means having a movable non-absorbent foraminous portion for supporting and tumbling said Wet laundry on one side of said foraminous portion, means for moving said foraminous portion to tumble said wet laundry thereon, strong unidirectional suction means, nozzle means operatively interconnected to said suction means and having inlet means disposed in substantially sealed relation against the other side of said foraminous portion to suck moisture from said wet laundry only when said Wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means by only drawing a large volume of air from said confining means through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said suction means in unimpeded relation between said foraminous portion and said inlet means while said foraminous portion is being moved whereby said suction means applies an unimpeded suction directly on the layer of laundry disposed against said one side of said foraminous portion, and heater means for heating the air to be subsequently drawn directly through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said suction means to tend to further dry said Wet laundry when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means and said nozzle inlet means is dis posed in substantially sealed relation against said other side of said foraminous portion while said foraminous portion is being moved.

5. In a laundry machine, a confining means, a rotatable non-absorbent foraminous carriage disposed in said confining means and being adapted to receive wet laundry and tumble said wet laundry on one side of said carriage, means to rotate said carriage to tumble said wet laundry therein, a strong unidirectional suction means havin a nozzle inlet means between said foraminous carriage and said confining means and an outlet outside said confining means, said nozzle inlet means being disposed in substantially sealed relation against the other side of said carriage, said suction means sucking moisture from said wet laundry only when said wet laundry is aligned with said nozzle inlet means by only drawing a large volume of air from said confining means through said Wet laundry and said foraminous carriage into said nozzle inlet means in unimpeded relation between said forarr'rinous carriage and said inlet means to tend to dry said wet laundry while said carriage is being rotated whereby said suction means applies an unimpeded suction directly on the layer of laundry disposed against said one side of said foraminous carriage, and heater means for heating the air to be subsequently drawn directly through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said suction means to tend to further dry said wet laundry when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means and said nozzle inlet means is disposed in substantially sealed relation against said other side of said foraminous portion when said foraminous portion is being moved.

6. In a laundry machine as set forth in claim 5, means to cause relative movement between said foraminous carsaid foraminous carriage, rotating said carriage to tumble said wet laundry on one side thereof, disposing a nozzle inlet means of a strong unidirectional suction means between said foraminous carriage and said confining means and in sealing relation against the other side of said foraminous carriage, sucking moisture from said wet laundry by only drawing a large volume of air from said confining means through said wet laundry and said foram inons carriage into said nozzle inlet means of said suction means in unimpeded relation between said foraminous carriage and said inlet means only when said wet laundry is aligned with said nozzle inlet means and while said carriage is being rotated whereby said suction means applies an unimpeded suction directly on the layer of laundry disposed against the other side of said forarninous carriage, and heating said air that is to be subsequently drawn directly through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said inlet means to tend to further dry said wet laundry when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means and said nozzle inlet means is disposed in substantially sealed relation against said other side of said foraminous portion while said foraminous portion is being moved.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 and including the step of causing relative movement between said foraminous carriage and said inlet means to place said inlet means into and out of sealing relation with said foraminous carriage.

19. A method as set forth in claim 17 and including the step of causing a flow of heated air by a second suction means so that said wet laundry tumbles through said flow of heated air whereby said second suction means tends to evaporatively dry said wet laundry.

2i In a laundry machine, a confining means for receiving Wet laundry, said confining means having a movable non-absorbent foraminous portion for supporting and tumbling wet laundry on one side of said foraminous portion, means for intermittently moving said foraminous portion to tumble said wet laundry in a plurality of new positions thereon, strong unidirectional suction means, nozzle means operatively connected to said suction means and having inlet means disposed in substantially sealing relation against the other side of said foraminous portion to suck moisture from said wet laundry only when said wet laundry is aligned with said nozzle means in one of said new positions thereof by only drawing a large volume of air from said confining means through said wet laundry and said forarninous portion into said suction means in un'nnpeded relation between said foraminous portion and said inlet means each time said foraminous portion is stationary whereby said suction means applies an unimpeded suction directly on the layer of laundry disposed against said one side of said foraminous portion, and heater means for heating the air to be subsequently drawn directly through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said suction means to tend to further dry said wet laundry when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means and said noz zle inlet means is in substantially sealed relation against said other side of said foraminous portion in one of said new positions thereof each time said foraminous Portion is stationary.

21. In a laundry machine as set forth in claim 20, means to place said inlet means out of sealing relation with said foraminous portion each time said foraminous portion is moved and to place said inlet means into said sealing relation each time said foraminous portion is stationary.

22. In a laundry machine as set forth in claim 20, a second suction means cooperating with said heater means to cause a flow of heated air through which said wet laundry is tumbled whereby said second suction means tends to evaporatively dry said wet laundry.

23. In a laundry machine, a confining means, a rotatable non-absorbent foraminous carriage disposed in said confining means and being adapted to receive wet laundry and tumble said Wet laundry on one side of said carriage, means to intermittently rotate said carriage to tumble said wet laundry in a plurality of new positions therein, a strong unidirectional suction means having a nozzle inlet means between said foraminous carriage and said confining means and an outlet outside said confining means, said nozzle inlet means being disposed in substantially sealing relation against the other side of said carriage, said suction means sucking moisture from said wet laundry only when said wet laundry is aligned with said nozzle inlet means in one of said new positions thereof by only drawing a large volume of air from said confining means through said wet laundry and said foraminous carriage into said nozzle inlet means in unimpeded relation between said foraminous carriage and said inlet means to tend to dry said wet laundry each time said foraminous carriage is stationary whereby said suction means applies an unimpeded suction directly on the layer of laundry disposed against said one side of said foraminous portion, and heater means for heating the air to be subsequently drawn directly through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said suction means to tend to further dry said wet laundry when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means and said nozzle inlet means is in substantially sealed relation against said other side of said foraminous portion in one of said new positions thereof each time said foraminous portion is stationary.

24. In a laundry machine as set forth in claim 23, means to place said inlet means out of sealing relation with said foraminous carriage each time said foraminous carriage is moved and to place said inlet means into said sealing realtion each time said foratninous carriage is stationary.

25. In a laundry machine as set forth in claim 23, a second suction means cooperating with said heater means to cause a flow of heated air through which said wet laundry is tumbled whereby said second suction means tends to evaporatively dry said wet laundry.

26. A method for drying wet laundry comprising the steps of disposing said wet laundry on one side of a movable non-absorbent for-arninous portion of a laundry confining means, intermittently moving said foraminous portion to tumble said wet laundry in a plurality of new positions thereon, sucking moisture from said wet laundry by only drawing a large volume of air from said confining means through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into a nozzle inlet means of a strong unidirectional suction means that is disposed in sealing relation with said foraminous portion only when said wet laundry is aligned with said nozzle inlet means in one of said new positions thereof and each time said foraminous portion is stationary whereby said suction means applies an unimpedcd suction directly on the layer of laundry disposed against said one side of said foraminous portion, and heating said air that is to be subsequently drawn directly through said wet laundry and said foraminous portion into said inlet means to tend to further dry said Wet laundry when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means of said nozzle means and said nozzle inlet means is in substantially sealed relation against said other side of said foraminous portion in one of said new positions thereof each time said foraminous portion is stationary.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26 and including the steps of placing said nozzle inlet means out of sealing relation with said foraminous portion each time said foraminous portion is moved, and placing said nozzle inlet means into said sealing relation each time said foraminous portion is stationary.

28. A method as set forth in claim 26 and including the step of causing a flow of heated air by a second suction means so that said wet laundry tumbles through said flow of heated air whereby said second suction means tend to evaporatively dry said wet laundry.

29; A method for drying wet laundry comprising the steps of disposing said wet laundry in anon-absorbent foranrinons carriage r'otatably' mounted inside a laundry confining means, intermittently rotating said carriage to tumble said wet laundry in a plurality of new positions onone side thereof, disposing a nozzle inlet means of a strong unidirectionalsuction means between said toraminous carriage and said confining means and in sealing relation with the other side of said foran'iinous carriage, sucking moisture from' said wet laundry by only drawing a large Volume of air from said confining means through said wet laundry and said foraminous carriage into said inlet means of said suction means in unimpeded relation between said foraminous carriage and said inlet means only when said wet laundry is aligned with said nozzle inlet means in one of said new positions thereof and each time said carriage is stationary whereby said suction means applies an unimpeded suction directly on the layer of laundry disposed against said one side of said foraminous portion, and heating said air that is to be subsequently drawn directly through said wet laundry and said forariiinous portion into said inlet means to tend to further dry' said wet laundry when said wet laundry is aligned with said inlet means oi said nozzle means and said nozzle inlet n'ieans is in substantially sealed relation against 24 said other side of said foraminous portion in one of said new positions thereof each time said forami-nous portion is stationary 30. A method as set forth in claim 29 and including the steps of placing said nozzle inlet means out of sealing relation with said foraminous carriage each time said carriage is moved, and placing said nozzle inlet means into said sealing relation each time said foraminous car riage is stationary.

31. A method as set forth in claim 29 and including the step of causing a flow of heated air by a second suction means so that said wet laundry tumbles through said now of heated air whereby said second suction means tends to evaporatively dry said wet laundry.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,126,426 8/1938 Traube 68-20 X 2,777,313 1/1957 Dodge a 68-20 X 2,858,688 11/1958 Smith s. 68--20' 3,231,909 2/1966 Candor a 68-49 WILLIAM 1. PRICE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A LAUNDRY MACHINE, A CONFINING MEANS FOR RECEIVING WET LAUNDRY, SAID CONFINING MEANS HAVING A MOVABLE NON-ABSORBENT FORAMINOUS PORTION FOR SUPPORTING AND TUMBLING SAID WET LAUNDRY ON ONE SIDE OF SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION TO TUMBLE SAID WET LAUNDRY THEREON, STRONG UNIDIRECTIONAL SUCTION MEANS, NOZZLE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SUCTION MEANS AND HAVING INLET MEANS DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY SEALED RELATION AGAINST THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION TO SUCK MOISTURE FROM SAID WET LAUNDRY ONLY WHEN SAID WET LAUNDRY IS ALIGNED WITH SAID INLET MEANS OF SAID NOZZLE MEANS BY ONLY DRAWING A LARGE VOLUME OF AIR FROM SAID CONFINING MEANS THROUGH SAID WET LAUNDRY AND SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION INTO SAID SUCTION MEANS IN UNIMPEDED RELATION BETWEEN SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION AND SAID INLET MEANS WHILE SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION IS BEING MOVED WHEREBY SAID SUCTION MEANS APPLIES AN UNIMPEDED SUCTION DIRECTLY ON THE LAYER OF LAUNDRY DISPOSED AGAINST SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION, AND HEATER MEANS FOR HEATING THE AIR TO BE SUBSEQUENTLY DRAWN DIRECTLY THROUGH SAID WET LAUNDRY AND SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION INTO SAID SUCTION MEANS TO TEND TO FURTHER DRY SAID WET LAUNDRY WHEN SAID WET LAUNDRY IS ALIGNED WITH SAID INLET MEANS OF SAID NOZZLE MEANS AND SAID NOZZLE INLET MEANS IS DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY SEALED RELATION AGAINST SAID OTHER SIDE OF SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION WHILE SAID FORAMINOUS PORTION IS BEING MOVED. 